This month’s sector focus is on the Manufacturing Industry. Times are tough out there so we thought we’d offer some guidance for those of you who may have recently found yourself out of work in a sector that is in decline.

I’m sure you’re aware of the huge job cuts that the manufacturing industry has been facing in recent times.  Just last month Toyota announced they were making 350 people redundant and there are undoubtedly more job cuts to come throughout the industry. Many organisations are tightening their belts and shedding staff.  Even Qantas is set to lay off up to 500 people today in its maintenance division.

So, you’ve been retrenched from your role…what now? For those in the manufacturing industry in Australia the chances of getting another job in manufacturing are not great.  It is simply too hard to compete with Asian manufacturers, particularly when the Australian dollar is so high.  While it may seem at the time that you are directionless and in a bit of trouble, there are a number of options you have, and many people and places you can turn to for assistance and guidance.

Here are some of my tips for how to explore these options.

1. Speak with the HR manager of the company that you’ve been made redundant from.

They are generally highly skilled in the area of redundancy and will offer you valuable recommendations and tips.  You might even be offered a group outplacement session through your former employer.  While a lot of people feel disenchanted with the company and don’t go to these sessions, you should, they offer excellent information about the steps ahead.

2 . Go to your local Centrelink or have a look at their website.

If money is an issue now that you’re temporarily unemployed, they offer a number of financial services that can help you get by until you find employment again.  On top of this, they can  offer career advice and good industry links to help you get back into the workforce.

3. Upskill yourself.

Investigate your options in regard to University, TAFE and the CAE  to learn new skills that will make you more employable.  Companies want their staff to be as productive as possible, so if you have skills that make you more productive than the next person you’ll be in a better position to secure a new role.

4.  Update your CV.

Chances are you haven’t had to prepare a CV in a while .  If you’ve never done this before, or just need a few refresher tips, there are some valuable online CV guides.  Here are two that I particularly like.

http://career-advice.careerone.com.au/resume-cover-letter/resume-writing/resume-writing-the-basics/article.aspx

http://www.seek.com.au/jobs-resources/get-your-dream-job/resume-guide

Whatever you do, be proactive about your career.  While it may not seem immediately obvious, you have been given an opportunity to take a break and reassess your career goals.  Take a minute to figure out exactly what you want to do, and set out a plan to achieve these goals.

This is the first in a series of industry blogs that I will be writing over the coming months.  These industry blogs will focus on different business sectors that nexthire operates in and highlight some of the key issues in these industries.  This month we focus on retail…

I’m sure you’ve all heard the retailers in recent months crying poor over the rise and rise of online shopping and how it is affecting ‘bricks-and-mortar’ sales.  I must admit I was sceptical about Gerry Harvey claiming that online shopping is ‘unAustralian’ so I decided to do a little research and find out whether all retailers were struggling; and to be honest I wasn’t surprised by what I found.  Those who have adapted have prospered and those who have not…have not.

Make not mistake about it, high street shopping is still king.  This report by the NAB highlights the fact that while online growth is outpacing bricks and mortar, transactions via the web still only accounted for 4.9 of all retail spending in 2011.

While your large department stores might be struggling, I found a number of small retailers who have prospered in the last few years using a variety of different strategies.  The crux of these strategies is, by thinking outside the square and doing things differently, these companies have been able to buck the trend and continue to grow strongly in a time when bricks and mortar retail spending is dropping markedly.

One small retailer that stood out for me was a small homewares retailer based in Carlton called Make Designed Objects.  Make opened its doors in 2003 in Carlton and combined the bricks and mortar store with online in 2007 (clicks and bricks).  Since 2003, Make has averaged a phenomenal 40% growth rate every single year.

They’ve done this using techniques and principles that can be applied to any business.  Firstly the team at Make have an overwhelmingly passion for their business and their products.

Secondly, they put a strong emphasis on the small group of customers that make up the bulk of their profit (incentives, discounts, entertainment).

And thirdly, the guys at Make Designed Objects are more than willing to adapt their business to suit the changing needs of customers, as well as opening themselves up to new clients.  They were amongst the first retailers in Australia to open up an online store and as a result sell their products to customers around the country.

Whether or not these techniques apply to your particular industry or business, the key points can be applied to any business.

As Charles Darwin once said “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

Jason Snell.